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The original was posted on /r/nfl by /u/Goosedukee on 2026-01-24 01:22:40+00:00.
Original Title: Former NFL QB Kellen Mond posts on LinkedIn recounting his rookie season with the Minnesota Vikings; He claims that HC Mike Zimmer did not want to draft him and never spoke to him. He also says that he never spoke to Zimmer or saw Zimmer speak to GM Rick Spielman.
When I was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings, my head coach walked out of the draft room.
We never spoke. Not once.
It all started years before between the General Manager and him.
The GM wanted Kirk Cousins at quarterback. The head coach didn’t.
Kirk signed anyway, and the relationship went sour.
When the GM and Offensive Coordinator wanted to draft me, the head coach was against it… again.
I got the call. He walked out.
While I played for the Vikings, I never saw the General Manager and Head Coach speak.
Imagine the two most important people in any organization never talking.
What happens to that business? It crumbles.
And that’s exactly what happened.
The morning after our last game, we were told both the GM and head coach were fired.
They cleaned house.
The GM addressed the team and thanked us for our hard work, effort and dedication.
The head coach was nowhere to be found.
His reasoning for not addressing the team and players: “They got me fired.”
That response told me everything I needed to know.
And taught me an unforgettable leadership lesson:
Every time you show up to work, you control the energy in the building.
The way you act.
The way you speak.
Your body language.
If you forget that enough times, don’t be surprised when you have a disconnect with others in your organization.
Leadership is an atmosphere you create, not a title you hold.